The nonprofit sector has always required resilience, but 2025 presents unique challenges that demand both strategic thinking and practical support.
As a volunteer leader, you're likely feeling the weight of uncertainty about funding streams, policy changes, and how these shifts might impact the communities you serve.
If so, you're not alone—a recent survey showed that 55% of nonprofit leaders’ biggest concern is their organization’s financial health, and 1 in 5 leaders were concerned about their workforce (including staffing, leadership, and volunteers).
To help, we’ve compiled a list of trusted resources designed specifically to assist leaders and organizations like yours in navigating uncertainty, providing access to the right support and strategies.
This can help your team understand funding patterns, help you anticipate changes, and identify emerging opportunities before they become competitive.
AFP, The Association of Fundraising Professionals, provides research reports, webinars, and certification programs specifically addressing economic uncertainty and donor behavior.
Their quarterly fundraising reports, specifically, can help you benchmark your organization's performance and adjust strategies based on sector-wide trends.
NFF offers financial consulting, capacity building, and a comprehensive annual State of the Nonprofit Sector survey that tracks financial health across the sector. Their resources can help you build financial resilience and understand how peer organizations are managing similar challenges.
State Service Commissions distribute over $350 million annually in federal and local funds to support AmeriCorps programs and volunteer initiatives across all states and territories.
They're excellent nonprofit resources because they provide direct funding, volunteer recruitment, and training on volunteer management.
The National Council of Nonprofits offers state-specific policy updates, advocacy resources, and analysis of how legislative changes affect nonprofit operations.
Staying informed about regulatory changes is essential — it helps you maintain compliance and anticipate operational impacts.
BoardSource offers governance resources, board training materials, and crisis management guidance for nonprofit boards — all of which are crucial during uncertain times.
Independent Sector offers tons of research on nonprofit sector trends, information on policy advocacy, and leadership development resources. Their sector-wide perspective can help you understand broader forces affecting all nonprofits and adjust accordingly.
The Council for Nonprofits’ network page offers a comprehensive directory of state-level nonprofit associations that provide localized support, training, and advocacy.
While tuning into sector-wide resources can be helpful, your state association can provide a better understanding of the specific regulatory environment and funding landscape in your area.
TechSoup offers discounted technology products, digital literacy training, and cybersecurity resources for nonprofits. When budgets tighten and demand for impact grows, resources like this one can help any nonprofit do more with less.
Nonprofit Quarterly offers In-depth analysis of nonprofit sector trends, management strategies, and case studies of organizations navigating challenges. Their investigative approach to nonprofit issues provides context and strategies that are both informative and practically helpful for everyday struggles.
Guidestar allows you to search nonprofit profiles and view benchmarking data to help you understand your organization's position.
Guidestar can be used to build transparency with donors during uncertain times and gives your nonprofit access to benchmarking data from similar nonprofits.
Volunteer Match offers tons of resources on volunteer management best practices, engagement strategies, and technology solutions.
Volunteers often become even more important when paid staff budgets are constrained — learning how best to manage them is essential.
Points of Light gives nonprofits access to ample volunteer engagement research, corporate volunteer programs, and community mobilization resources. Their corporate partnership resources, too, can open new avenues for support beyond traditional funding.
Get Connected is the top volunteer management software that offers tons of free resources for optimizing volunteer programs — from strengthening volunteer engagement and reclaiming community roots to nailing long-term volunteer retention.
The National Association of Volunteer Program Leaders offers professional development for volunteer administrators, best practices in volunteer management, and networking opportunities for volunteer program leaders.
The Council for Certification in Volunteer Administrator (CCVA) offers credentials and professional development resources for volunteer program managers which can help organizations create more effective and sustainable volunteer programs — both in times of uncertainty and not.
Nonprofit Wellness is designed for nonprofits that require resources to support staff and volunteer well-being, including burnout prevention and self-care strategies.
High-stress periods, in particular, require intentional attention to organizational health and sustainability.
The Crisis and Trauma Resource Institute is a valuable resource for organizations supporting communities affected by trauma. Many nonprofits serve communities experiencing multiple stressors, requiring specialized approaches.
The key to navigating uncertainty isn't consuming every piece of information available, it's about finding the right combination of resources that match your organization's specific needs and circumstances to help you not just survive challenging times, but position your organization to emerge stronger and more effective.
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